Newbie here and to the business.

[IslandClean]

My name is Chris. My company name is Island Power Cleaning Inc. I am based in Suffolk county New York. My experience is minimal. I worked for a property management company in the Hamptons for a few years and I did all their yearly house washing. All high end mansions. In September of last year I was in a bad car accident. I am just now able to work full time again. Needless to say my position with that company has been filled. Powerwashing is one of thoes things that I acctually enjoy doing. I find it to be relaxing. I put my headphones on and go to town. Hopefully since its now its my only form of income I dont start to hate it.
On the positive side I was able to use some of the money I got from my settlement in the accident to start Island Power Cleaning. I bought top of the line equiptment, a new truck and a brand new covered dual axel 6'x12' trailer. I have a Hydrotek sc30009kaf with a 200 gallon tank a 22" Mosmatic surface cleaner a 12" Mosmatic surface cleaner and a Hydrotek AVZ55 washwater recovery unit. I have a full brand set up . Cards, website, shirts, hats, pens I am having post cards made up now and am still waiting for my wrap for the trailer to be made up. I have someone who will be taking care of my books and an accountant. I have a salesman that will work only on comision. I have my I phone set up to create invoices, estimates, take signatures and credit card payments and transfer everyhting daily to the book keepers computer.
Basically I have everything I need to work except the work. I bought a mailing list from a company that makes lists that target specific businesses. I really have no interest in doing residential unless its high end. But who am I to turn down money? There are a few companies here on Long Island that are either set up like me or much bigger. But there are thousands of guys with a small powerwasher in the back of a pickup doing this as a side job. They advertise $200 house washing. I can't compete with that. I have too much overhead.
My plan is to do strictly commercial work. I would like to specialize in flat work as my injuries limit me as far as ladders and roofs go. Sportcourts, Gum/grafitti ,grease and dumpster areas.
Please don't take this post a a bragging page for myself I just want to give everyone a good understanding of how I and equipt and set up.
My questions are,
Is there enough sustainable flat work to keep me busy?
How do I begin to get this work?
What do the guys in cold weather areas do for winter work?
What are some good eco friendly chemicals that can be used in gas stations?
Where do I get a copy of a service contract that I can use for repeat/monthly franchises?

Thanks in advance for all the future help. I look forward to being a contributing part of this group.

 

[Doug Rucker]

1) Yes
2) get that salesman out there cold calliing
3) actually I see some that do snow removal, there is some pressure washing you can do in cold weather also
4) Mark at Easy Clean sells Bt200 give hime a call at 916.638.0828, he also sells hydro tek equipment as well and others.
5) Not6 sure. I do residential mostly.

Hopefully others will chime in here too, especially Carlos as he does a lot of what youa re wanting to do. Be patient, many are on the road working but will answer when they check back in. Bunch of great contractors here and all willing to help you out.

 

[IslandClean]

Great thanks.

 

[archie_MN]

Welcome aboard Chris! I've been at it for a while, and sometimes I still can't believe that people pay me to play with a big ol' squirt gun.
To your questions:
1-Plenty of work.
2-I've just recently moved into some commercial work. I've found franchises to be a goldmine! Rather than a run-around from this department or that, I can get an owner on the phone pretty easily. You might look for locally owned franchised restaurants and convenience stores that'll be an easier sell. The best sales advice I ever received was this, "100 no's and 1 yes still pays the bills."
3-Winter work can be tough. I don't do snow removal, but I do roof raking, sewer jetting ( just frozen drains), the occasional indoor job, and ice dam removal. If it's mild and doesn't snow, find a good book.
4- bt200 or sw1000. Talk to Mark.
5- Contracts are a big deal. Laws vary from state to state, city to city, making cookie cutter contracts obsolete. It is absolutely worth your $$$ to have a professional write them for you. Ask around, someone you know (probably another small business owner) probably knows a business or contract attorney.

Also, please fill in your signature line. It's a little rule we have to help us identify one another. You can do this by clicking on "Settings" in the top right hand corner of the page, and selecting "Edit Profile." Please include your Name, Company Name, and some Contact Info. Thanks!

Welcome again, and glad to have you!

 

[Mark]

Chris

Welcome to The PWN!

 

[IslandClean]

Can I do franchises and gum removal during the winter? I have a compressor in the trailer to blow out the machine and I have the winterizing tank. Is it worth taking the chance of ruining my equiptment? If i use the water recovery system with the surface cleaner how much ice am i talking about leaving on the sidewalks? I think I am answering my own questions. Dont work with water in below freezig weather.

 

[archie_MN]

No doubt that winter work is harder on the machines, but either blowing them out or filling them with a safe antifreeze is an option. When I have to leave behind icy runoff, I salt like crazy.

 

[IslandClean]

Salting is ok? Store owners are ok with that. If thats all i have to do thats fine. I was told to use car window washer fluid as an antifreeze. Its cheaper and safe. I dont know if it works. I guess in theory it should.

 

[New Look]

Chris,

Welcome to PWN. I will have some time this week to dive into some of your question and hopefully offer up some good advice. As Doug said, there are alot of good guys here that are easy going.

I can't help you with the "winter" questions as I am out here in sunny California but I do alot of the work that you mentioned above...commercial. dumpster pads, graffiti and etc

Welcome aboard!!!

 

[headpressure]

Can I do franchises and gum removal during the winter? I have a compressor in the trailer to blow out the machine and I have the winterizing tank. Is it worth taking the chance of ruining my equiptment? If i use the water recovery system with the surface cleaner how much ice am i talking about leaving on the sidewalks? I think I am answering my own questions. Dont work with water in below freezig weather.

Around here we have to wash many things in the winter and that starts around late October and ends in April. Freezing your equipment will ruin it so we run RV antifreeze through our equipment if it will be subject to freezing temperatures while it sits idle or during shipping. RV anti-freeze is non toxic and will protect down below -40°F. The only problem is that it actually does become a solid at very low temps. but does not expand, So you would have to warm the equipment up first before using it.

You can also use Glycol, it will only gel at very, very low temps. (below -50°F) and it's toxic.

In either case you can recover it by pumping first into a collection container until it starts to run clear. Than re-use that anti-freeze to protect it again after washing. That prevents it from affecting the environment. It's how we handle the issue here and believe me it gets real cold for a long time.

 

[archie_MN]

Around here we have to wash many things in the winter and that starts around late October and ends in April. Freezing your equipment will ruin it so we run RV antifreeze through our equipment if it will be subject to freezing temperatures while it sits idle or during shipping. RV anti-freeze is non toxic and will protect down below -40°F. The only problem is that it actually does become a solid at very low temps. but does not expand, So you would have to warm the equipment up first before using it.

You can also use Glycol, it will only gel at very, very low temps. (below -50°F) and it's toxic.

In either case you can recover it by pumping first into a collection container until it starts to run clear. Than re-use that anti-freeze to protect it again after washing. That prevents it from affecting the environment. It's how we handle the issue here and believe me it gets real cold for a long time.

Ditto. I reclaim/reuse the RV stuff. With your covered rig, you might consider a small space heater in there over night if you get some good Canadian or Minnesotan cold weather. Funny we're talking about this now, today I had to scrape frost off my windows for the first time this season.

I explain salt to owners as a necessity for their liability and mine. If they decline salt, I make them sign a waiver. For residential Ice dams I also carry a pet friendly salt.

A word to the wise: We're coming up on the time of year when overnight lows drop below freezing. Any time it's close, winterize the machines...I learned that the hard, expensive way.

 

[Doug Rucker]

Question for you cold weather guys from a warm weather guy. What happens to your rig if you DONT winterize it?

 

[archie_MN]

I'm sure Ernie knows more, but I cracked my coil and had to have my pump rebuilt. Spendy little mistake....

 

[headpressure]

Jake is correct.

The coil is usually the first to go and that will set you back anywhere from $700 to $1200.

Next will be the fittings, lines and fluid end of your pump.

A brutal reality you don't want to experience. Keep the inside of your truck/trailer above freezing or put anti-freeze in the unit and you should be ok.

BTW even a light freezing that doesn't damage the pump or coil can usually be seen by the effect it has on the weakest component. That's the pressure gauge which will read some arbitrary pressure at all times because the fairly weak bourdon tube inside the gauge has been expanded.

 

[IslandClean]

Hey Carlos I just read your article in cleaner times. My equiptment distributor gave me the magazine and I came across it. Its very interesting and if you ever get a chance to chat I have a bunch of questions I would like to ask you.

Thanks Chris

 

[New Look]

Hey Carlos I just read your article in cleaner times. My equiptment distributor gave me the magazine and I came across it. Its very interesting and if you ever get a chance to chat I have a bunch of questions I would like to ask you.

Thanks Chris

Chris,

Hit me up anytime except this weekend....daughters 16th birthday party. If I don't answer please leave me a message and I will get back a ya.

707 812 3702

My sister lives on the other island in NY - Staten!!!

 

[Calob]

Question for you cold weather guys from a warm weather guy. What happens to your rig if you DONT winterize it?

lucky for us, we only have about one month that is really cold. my trailer just fits in my garage, think it will be protected enough from the weather in there? This will be the first winter that i am going to put it through.

 

[Doug Rucker]

Calob, I am in Houston and there are nights it freezes and I ahve had to "winterize" my machine at night in the past. Depending on how cold it gets you may want a little more protection than just your garage.